The gym opens in 25 minutes so I need to jump into my gym clothes, grab my iPod, and hit the road but I wanted to get us rolling for the week. Back in a bit!
Just quickly checking in. I haven't posted in quite some time. I've been ill and the docs can't seem to find the problem. I've lost weight but it's not healthy, ya' know. Anyway, everyone keep, keeping on and I'll be back when they figure out what my deal is.
I don't think I even posted it on the weekly chat last week, but my grandmother passed away on Tuesday. Thursday I drove to Hilton Head and got home late Saturday. I stayed OP for all of... a day. I'm just going to forget about that and get back to plan. It was very hard for all of us, so we just sat around the house and talked and ate the food people kept dropping off. My grandfather is 86 and suffers from early stages of dimensia and short-term memory loss, so he kept forgetting where his wife was. My aunts had to keep telling him that she was gone, and it hit him over and over again... it was really terrible.
I know I overate and am retaining a lot of water. I have healthy food prepped for the week, a new Abs Special Edition of Oxygen mag to read at the gym, and am just going to keep going this week. I think I'm going to ignore the scale for a few days.
joy, sorry to hear you've been feeling poorly. I hope the doctors can figure out what's going on soon. Feel better.
Meg, how was the gym?
I hope everyone has a good week. How did it get to be the middle of July already?
Megan, I'm so sorry about your grandmother. And how tragic about your grandfather and not remembering! It must have been a very difficult trip for you.
Lisa, wow, I sure hope you get some answers soon and it's nothing too serious.
The gym was packed this morning, as it usually in on Mondays. It's a lot different by the time Friday morning rolls around. Working out makes me feel so good that it's a wonder it's not illegal. Best way to start the day! OK, enough blabbing -- time for a shower before the cats bury me in the litterbox.
Dang...I posted my "Chat" post in the planning thread! So I'm just copying and pasting it...sorry if this is the 2nd time you read it!
Hi everyone! Thanks for the get well wishes. I am feeling 100% better and ready to get back to eating right and working out!
Although I haven't been posting, my thoughts have been with all our friends who lost someone last week. I hope this week is better for everyone.
Yes, thank goodness for new starts! Last week, my eating was not great and my exercise non-existant. Today I will get back on track!!
I got a haircut this weekend. Finally! After 4 months. I think I lost a pound just by her thinning it out. Also did a little shopping. I LOVE The Limited, and I really love all the coupons they gave me to use next month! Really good ones! I was just in there for 1 specific thing b/c the cash flow is low, but I had a bday coupon from them as well as a gift certificate. I only bought 2 things, but the coupons! $100 off a suit, 40% off a top, 40% off a handbag, and $20 off a dress. Can't wait to put them to use next month!
Hi all! My weekend was a little busy. Saturday we went to the farmer's market, got DH's hair cut, went to an antique shop, bought groceries, got my hair cut, took the dog out for a nice walk, and then prepped for our planned family picnic (the symphony does outdoor concerts in the summer). Of course about 20 minutes after we got there it started pouring rain and the concert was cancelled!
Sunday was a little more relaxing, but I had so much to do around the house I was busy anyway. Plus DH was in a funk because his tomato plants are dying (I guess we didn't amend the soil enough or with the right things), and since he has depression that one thing set him off on how his whole life is hopeless and a failure. I managed to cheer him up temporarily by taking him and the dog for a really long walk, but wasn't 100% successful. He seems to be better today though.
I really need to stop myself from snacking too much. I have had the munchies for a couple weeks now and I need to cut down. My weekly weigh-in was good news -- 135.2 -- but I'd like to make quicker progress and I know munching so much isn't helping.
Megan - So sorry about your grandma.
DGA - LOL, I got a haircut this weekend too but they didn't take that much off.
Lisa - I hope they can find the problem and you feel better soon!
Meg - I wish I was starting the day with exercise! I just seem to be sleeping later and later though and can't force myself out of bed. If the dog hadn't decided to make sure I got up I would have overslept at least an hour this morning. After DH went downstairs, the dog came back up and came to my side of the bed and made his cute "I need your attention" noise. I patted him on the head without really waking up so he went to the other side of the bed and started doing it there! Very cute, and it did get me out of bed!
I had a great weekend, but it was really busy. Barely a moment to myself to catch up. I especially had a great workout yesterday. I did intervals on the elliptical for the first time. I definitely don't like them as much as on the TM, but they were a little more intense than my regular elliptical workout so I think I'll keep at it. Maybe I'll get better at them. After that, when I got the TM, I really did NOT want to do intervals there. I kept having conversations in my head about how since I did intervals on the elliptical, I could skip the TM and do steady state cardio or do intervals on something else. But, I swear, intervals on the TM are like some kind of drug. I talked myself into upping the pace by .1 mph. Normally my rule on Sunday is that either up the pace or do an extra interval and I definitely did NOT want to do the extra interval (and I was having conversations with myself about how I shouldn't have to do either since I did intervals on the elliptical). By the time I finished my intervals, I felt so charged up and energetic that I did the extra interval anyway! And then I ran an extra 5 min at 7 mph just to bring the total TM time up to an even 30 min. I don't know what kind of chemical reaction goes on in my brain when I run intervals on the TM, but they really energize me. I can get the same feeling swimming (especially outdoors, with the sun shining) and I think I've gotten it doing steady state on the elliptical (but not with those darn intervals on it--those really dragged me down). It just sort of an all-is-right-with-me feeling.
Megan: I'm so sorry to hear about your grandmother and also that it is so hard on your grandfather. It must have been a really difficult weekend.
Joy: I hope your doc figures out what is wrong with you. At least whatever it is isn't making you gain weight.
DGA: I'm glad you're feeling better! I love getting my haircut! It's one of my favorite things to do for myself.
Paperclippy: It could just be that the tomato plants aren't getting enough water--that's frequently what the problem is when tomato plants die. Have you put a thick layer of mulch around them? That will help keep the soil moist. If they aren't on a drip, you want to water them really deeply.
Meg: I'm glad you had a good workout.
Last edited by BlueToBlue; 07-14-2008 at 01:30 PM.
joy, sorry to hear that you aren't feeling well. Hope you get better soon.
Megan, so sorry to hear of your grandmother's passing.
Dawg, I got my hair cut this past weekend too. It didn't take any weight off me cause I left mine long and layered. I still plan to go back and get caramel and blond hi-lights.
Meg, I've been following your routine and now I'm hitting the gym first thing of the morning. It seems to be working well for me and I don't have the day to get busy and skip my gym workouts anymore. (or find an excuse not to go) , LOL.
Jessica, Hugs, I know I hate it when my DH gets depressed and feels like he is failing at everything. When he's feeling UP, he's really UP, but his Lows are hard to take.
Blue, your workout sounds great. I'm trying to always make sure I get at least 30 min's of cardio a day too. I tend to switch off mainly between the stairclimber and the treadmill. I haven't tried doing intervals but maybe I'll give that a try.
Glad to say that I'm back OP with my food and exercise both. It sure seems easier to make myself eat right when I'm working out regularly. I've been going to the gym every day to do my cardio and alternating my UBWO and LBWO days.
I am considering going to college this fall. I would like to get my degree in clinical psychology. It's a totally different field than my nursing background, but something I've always wanted to do. I hope I don't feel too silly being in the classes with all the people less than half my age. DH thinks I should go ahead and "just do it" , if it's what I want. Should I start out at the local junior college for my basics or just go ahead and go to the U of Ark. to start with? Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. My long term goal would be to eventually have my own practice. (BTW, there is a branch of the U of Ark about 15 min's from my home). I am sure that I will need to take out student loans to finance this education due to our income level. I won't qualify for any free educational assistance. I know that with this type of degree that I would be able to work again.
Lily, do it! You'd be wonderful as a clinical psychologist, so compassionate and caring. And with all the adversity you've overcome in your life (including obesity) I think people could really connect with you. I say go straight to college and don't mess around with junior college. With your educational background and brains, you don't need to "get up to speed" for a real college experience -- you're ready now, I'm sure. And you'll be surprised at all the age ranges who are in college now. I'm sure you won't be the oldest. This is a fabulous idea!
And yeah, I'm right there with you about exercise and eating right going hand-in-hand. I don't know whether I feel better when I exercise, which keeps me from overeating, or if I just don't want to undo all my hard work. But they definitely go together for me too!
Meg, thanks so much. I was hoping people wouldn't think I'm totally bonkers for wanting to go back to college at 48 yrs. old. I can't change my age but I know that sitting at home leaves a lot to be desired. I don't worry that I'm not intelligent enough to learn a new field. School always came fairly easy for me. (Plus should be even easier this time since I won't be partying late at night, LOL)
I have set the wheels in motion. I called U of OK for my transcripts and made an appt. to seek loans to help finance my education. When my transcripts arrive I take them to Univ. Of Ark so they can help get me enrolled. I believe I'm gonna "just do it". I did just learn that some of my core classes may still transfer since they were part of my Nursing Degree. (At the time I decided on Nursing School, I was only 16 hrs. away from having a bachelors degree in Child Psychology). I always regret having not went ahead and finished that degree also.
I think the reason my eating stays OP when I exercise is I simply don't want to undo all my hard work. I have to say that while I was obese, I never would have had the courage to go back to college. Other than being older than most/all the other students, I won't feel too self-conscious about my body size.
I'm back from Oklahoma. Lily, what a beautiful state you live in!!! We had a good time at the University (I was amazed at the size of the football stadium!). Of course I over ate (found this GREAT Italian place called Othello's and we ate there twice) and I'm paying for it now.
Megan~so sorry to hear about your grandmother (and grandfather).
Lisa~you don't suppose you've got mono, too, like Glory?
Glory~hope you feel better soon.
I doubt I'll be checking in much for a while. This week will be busy catching up from last week. Next week I'll be busy getting ready to head out to Alaska. I have so much to do to get ready for that...it gives me a headache just to think about it.
Barbara - We've been getting a ton of rain, so they've got enough water. We think the problem is that when DH was preparing the soil, he put in compost, potting soil, and mixed in extra mulch we had (the kind that decomposes quickly and amends your soil). We found out later that that type of mulch actually sucks all the nitrogen out of the soil to aid its own decomposition, so we're thinking that's what did it. We have some tomato plants in containers that are doing just fine, although they're not too big for this time of year. DH is going to transplant them into larger containers this week. He is just disappointed because he put so much work into the tomatoes (started them from seed in like February) and they are not really bountiful, plus our neighbors have gardens that are overflowing with veggies while ours is very small and not much has grown in it.
Lily - It's good to hear someone else has the same troubles with a depressed DH that I do. We have so much fun when he's up, but when he's down he's really down and it's a big struggle for both of us. I think you should go straight to the university -- you already have a nursing degree and I'm sure to get that you had to take general ed classes. Those should all transfer hopefully!
Allison, glad you had fun in OK. Yes, I've been to Othello's, quite scrumptious. And yes, football is very big at OU. I've been to many, many games at that OU stadium.
Jessica, I did learn that many of my core classes should transfer since they were part of my previous degree. I also may qualify for some grant money due to being a "displaced worker" since I can no longer work in Nursing secondary to my liver and immune system diseases.
My DH may also be going to college this fall to become a "directional driller". His company is offering to pay for his advanced education since he is one of few at his job that already has a college degree. His actual work hours would be scheduled around his college hours. The eventual pay increase would be phenomenal. I told him to "go for it".
Hi there! We had a great weekend at our State Square Dance Festival. Lots of activity, and not too much eating. DH enjoyed the food they put out - lots of cookies but I pretty much stayed out of that room except in the morning when they had fruit out. We were camping, so we ate meals on our own so I knew they were fine.
Speaking of maintaining for the summer. I've lost 12 lbs in the last 10 months, which is a lot slower than I'd like, but it's much better than gaining 12 lbs! I went this morning to have blood drawn for my doc's appt next week, and it took FIVE times for two technicians to get enough blood. I feel like a pincushion. Has anyone else had their doctors start testing vitamin D levels? I guess with our long dark winters, they are more concerned here. It's the reason I had to have my blood work done a week before my appt - the Vit D test gets sent to a lab in the states.
Lisa/Joy - hope you're feeling better soon!
Glory - likewise. Glad you know what's wrong, and that it's not anything worse.
Dawg - glad you are better!
Meg - your anniversary dinner sounded wonderful. So worth the splurge.
Jessica - I'm with you on DH's with mood swings. If mine is depressed, the whole house deal with it - I swear the cats avoid him then!
Well, I'd better get back to work, just taking a little break for my mental health!
Lily - forgot to mention, that I went back to college in my late 40's to get a second bachelor's degreen in computer information systems. I was working full-time so it took me about 6 years (and my employer paid for a good part of it) but I really enjoyed being around all the younger students. And there were a number of "non-traditional" students like me, especially in the evening classes. I'm glad you realized you won't have to do your core classes over. The new school will just evaluate the classes you did take, and since they're from an accredited school, and you passed them all with a C or above, they should take most of them. The only exception on mine (they told me) was that if I'd been going for some sort of science degree I'd have to retake some classes where the information had changed over the last 20 years!
Maintainers Chat: July 14 - 20
Working out makes me feel so good that it's a wonder it's not illegal. Best way to start the day! 
OK, enough blabbing -- time for a shower before the cats bury me in the litterbox. 
I managed to cheer him up temporarily by taking him and the dog for a really long walk, but wasn't 100% successful. He seems to be better today though.
If the dog hadn't decided to make sure I got up I would have overslept at least an hour this morning. After DH went downstairs, the dog came back up and came to my side of the bed and made his cute "I need your attention" noise. I patted him on the head without really waking up so he went to the other side of the bed and started doing it there! Very cute, and it did get me out of bed!
And then I ran an extra 5 min at 7 mph just to bring the total TM time up to an even 30 min. 
I don't know what kind of chemical reaction goes on in my brain when I run intervals on the TM, but they really energize me. I can get the same feeling swimming (especially outdoors, with the sun shining) and I think I've gotten it doing steady state on the elliptical (but not with those darn intervals on it--those really dragged me down). It just sort of an all-is-right-with-me feeling. 
